Toe tap



' s. cAPEz|o v 11,35

TOE TAP Filed April 15, 1935 l INVENToR l ovafore Copezm #wx ATTORNEYS Patented May 31, 1938 ETED STATES Arent Claims.

This invention relates to taps for dancing shoes, and more particularly to a toe tap for toe dancing shoes.

The primary object of my invention is to generally improve toe taps for toe dancing shoes. More particular objects of the invention center about the mode of applying and securing the tap to the shoe. It has heretofore been proposed to stitch the periphery of a tap to a toe dancing shoe, but this is laborious, requires at least one thread knot within the shoe, and results in unsightly mutilation of the otherwise graceful and attractive toe dancing shoe. In accordance with my invention the tap may be permanently secured to the toe dancing shoe in a simple manner by the use of only a single long screw, this screw passing directly through the front wall of the tap and being so directed that it is driven into the shank or solid lower part of the toe dancing shoe and safely clears the hollow toe cavity.

In accordance with a further feature and object of my invention the tap is cupped to fit over the toe portion of the toe dancing shoe, yet no difficulty is occasioned by reason of variety in dimension and shape of the various sizes and makes of toe dancing shoe. To this end the side wall of the tap is preferably tapered to a relatively thin edge and the said edge is indented or scalloped to afford adjustability. I nd this improvement so effective that only three sizes of tap are needed to cover the entire range of sizes of toe dancing shoe, and further find the improvement to be effective even when the tap is cast, as is preferably the case. The thinned scalloped edge of the tap is also desirable because it improves the appearance of the tap and toe dancing shoe assembly.

Other objects of my invention concern the use of a bottom extension on the tap permitting the dancer to do fiat taps as well as toe taps. Toe taps have heretofore been constructed with a bottom extension, but these have introduced a number of serious disadvantages including the fact that they have interfered with proper arching of the foot, and in some cases the extension is broken, while in others where the tap extension resisted breakage, the shank or arch of the shoe itself has been weakened at the end of the extension, thereby resulting in uneven bending or arching of the shoe. The tap extension has also made it diiiicult for the dancer to balance on the at of one foot. It is accordingly another object of my invention to overcome the foregoing difficulties. The use of a bottom extension also makes it possible to strengthen the attachment of the tap to the shoe by the use of appropriate nails, but I may emphasize that my novel front screw attachment is so strong that the additional fastening means passing through the bottom extension, while used out of an excess of caution, are not at all essential.

Still another object of my invention is to improve the loudness and clarity of the sound produced by the tap by the provision of an appropriate hollow sound box within the tap or between the tap and the tip of the shoe. This feature incidentally helps fulll another object of the invention which is to lighten the weight of the tap in order not to fatigue the dancer.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and other objects which will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the toe tap and toe dancing shoe elements, and their relation one to the other, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the speccation and sought to be dened in the claims. The specification is accompanied by a drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a toe dancing shoe fitted with a tap embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the toe portion of said shoe and tap;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the plane of the line 3 3 of Fig.`2; and

Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the tap before being applied to the shoe.

Referring to the drawing, the tap T comprises a cupped body. which is received upon or fitted over the tip or toe portion of a conventional toe dancing shoe S. The tap is secured to the shoe by a single relatively long screw l2 passing through a preferably countersunk hole ift in the front wall I6 of the tap. The hole is approximately centrally located on front wall i6, but is downwardly directed in order to tend to guide the screw l2 on a downwardly sloping path best shown in Fig. 3, thereby bringing the screw into the end of the shank or insole i8, and in any case into the solid bottom part of toe dancing shoe and clear of the hollow toe cavity. It will be noted in Fig. 4 that the inner end of the hole lil is located somewhat below the center of the approximately circular front wall of the tap, this being the case even when the outer end of the hole il! is centrally located, because of the downward slope at which the hole is directed. It will be understood that the location of the hole may CFI be varied, but I find the described location to be satisfactory, surprising though it at first seems, because in the manufacture of this class of toe dancing shoe the toe portion is boxed by numerous layers of stiifening material and this material is gathered at the bottom of the shoe, thus providing a predominating thickness of solid material at the bottom of the shoe, which material raises the insole or shank suciently to receive the screw without in any way interfering with or causing discomfort to the foot of the dancer. Because of its length and location, only a single screw is needed to adequately and securely mount the tap in place.

The side wall 2U of the tap is preferably tapered to a relatively thin edge 22 as is best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and the edge 22 is preferably indented by a series of indentations 24 so that the projecting portions 26 between the indentations are somewhat movable relative to the main body of the tap. This affords adjustment ofthe side wall or cavity of the tap to conform to the shape and dimension of the toe portion of the shoe. If the tap is too small` it tends to expand to receive the shoe, while if the tap is too large the projecting portions 26 may be struck lightly with a hammer to close the same against the surface of the shoe. Thus, because of the indented edge, which may vary in shape but which for convenience I refer to with generic meaning as a scalloped edge, the tap may be exactly fitted to the shoe to produce an assembly having a neat and finished appearance, and the attractive effect is enhanced by the contrast between the preferably shiny metallic surface of the tap and the colored satin surface of the shoe, and the decorative effect produced by the scalloping of the edge of the tap.

The tap is preferably provided with a bottom extension 30 which is preferably made V-shaped, as is best shown in Figs. 2 and 4, with the apex of the V at the toe of the tap and the diverging arms 32 extending rearwardly. The extension is preferably made short, and I prefer to so dimension the same as to only slightly overlap the forward end 34 of the outsole 36 of the shoe. By thus limiting the length of the extension and confining the same to the normally rigid box toe portion of the slipper, there is no interference whatsoever with proper arching of the shoe by the dancer. The bottom extension 3U of course permits at taps in addition to the toe taps produced on the end I6 of the tap, while the V formation of the extension makes it easy for a dancer to balance on the flat of one foot, there being as wide a support against sideward tipping of the foot as would be provided by the outsole 36 in the absence of the tap.

The tap may be additionally secured to the shoe through extension 30 and for this purpose I provide holes 38 and G through the bottom extension, as is best shown in Fig. 4. Appropriate nails 42 may be driven through holes 38, these nails passing through the pleated bottom portion of the slipper and being bent or clinched at the top of the insole or shank I8. Similar nails Ml are driven through holes 45, these nails passing through the leather outsole and being bent or clinched at the top of insole I8, as is best shown in Fig. 3.

To intensify the sound produced by the tap I provide a sound box or hollow sound-amplifying chamber 50 best shown in Fig. 3. For this purpose the interior of the tap is stepped or provided with a peripheral ledge 52 against which the tip of the shoe bears. If desired, a boss 54 may be provided around screw I2, this boss extending from the front wall of the tap to the tip of the shoe and thus insuring maintenance of the desired clearance or sound chamber 50.

The tap is preferably made of metal and may be cast of a light-weight aluminum alloy. The weight of the tap is further reduced by the scalloping of the edge, and the V-shape of the bottom extension.

It is believed that the mode of constructing and applying my improved toe tap, as well as the many advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. The tap is securely mounted by a long screw which draws the tap against the shoe at the center of the tap, yet is guided into the solid bottom portion o-f the shoe. This screw mounting is much stronger than and avoids stitching with its attendant disadvantages. The tap does not interfere with arching of the foot nor is there any danger of breaking the tap extension or the arch of the shoe. The dancer has no difculty in balancing on the fiat of the foot, and of course can do both fiat and toe taps. Balancing on the toe of the shoe is facilitated by the provision of a substantial area of fiat or plane surface at the front of the tap. The tapered scalloped outer wall of the tap improves the appearance of the tap and shoe assembly and affords adjustment to dimension. I find that three sizes of taps are adequate to fit the entire range of sizes of toe dancing shoes. The tap is light, yet produces a loud, clear sound which is amplified by the provision of va. suitable sound box. While the front screw mounting is alone sufficient to hold the tap in place, and may be used alone when no bottom extension is desired, it is of course both possible and desirable when using a bottom extension to apply additional fastening means to said bottom extension.

It will be apparent that while I have shown and described my invention in preferred form, changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A toe tap comprising a cupped body of metal having a toe portion dimensioned to be received over the toe portion of a dancers conventional toe dancing shoe, a bottom extension formed integrally with said toe portion, said bottom extension being short and so dimensioned as to only slightly overlap the forward end of the short outsole of the toe dancing shoe, the front wall of said tap being comparatively thick and the side wall tapering to a relatively thin edge, said edge being indented to make the same adjustable to the size and shape of the toe portion of the toe dancing shoe, and means for mounting the toe tap on a toe dancing shoe, said means including a hole passing through the front wall of the tap and so directed that a long screw driven therethrough passes through the heavy solid lower filled or thickened part beneath the toe cavity of a conventional toe dancing shoe and clears the hollow toe cavity, and holes passing upwardly through the aforesaid bottom extension.

2. A toe tap comprising a front wall .and a short bottom extension, said bottom extension being so dimensioned as to only slightly overlap the forward end of the short outsole of a conventional toe dancing shoe, and means to secure the tap to a toe dancing shoe, said means including a hole passing through the front wall of the tap and so located that a screw passed therethrough enters the heajr solid lower filled or thickened part beneath the toe cavity of a conventional toe dancing shoe and escapes the toe cavity, and one or more additional holes passing through the aforesaid bottom extension.

3. A toe tap comprising a cupped body having a front wall and a peripheral wail` and being dimensioned to be received over the toe portion of a dancers conventional toe dancing shoe, a bo-ttom extension dimensioned to overlap for a short distance the forward end of the short outsole of the toe dancing shoe, the peripheral wall tapering to a thin edge and the edge of the peripheral wall of the tap being indented to sufcient depth to make the same adjustable to the size and shape of the toe portion of the toe dancing shoe, and said bottom extension having one or more holes to receive fastening means to be driven into the outsole.

4. A toe tap comprising a cupped body shaped and dimensioned to t over the toe portion of a dancers conventional toe dancing shoe, the edge of the side wall, being deeply indented to make the same adjustable to the size of the toe portion of the toe dancing shoe, and means to secure said tap to the toe dancing shoe, said means including a hole through the front wall of the tap so located that a long screw driven therethrough passes into the heavy solid lower iilled or thickened part beneath the toe cavity of a conventional toe dancing shoe and clears the toe cavity.

5. A unitary metallic toe tap comprising a toe portion and a relatively short bottom extension adapted to lie along the sole of a conventional toe dancing shoe to which the tap is adapted to be secured, said bottom extension being V-shaped with an apex of small dimension connected to the toe portion and the arms extending rearwardly, said arms being dimensioned to slightly overlap the forward end of the short outsole of a ccnventional toe dancing shoe.

6. A toe tap comprising a cupped metallic body shaped and dimensioned to t over the toe of a dancers toe dancing shoe, said tap being provided with a countersunk hole therethrough in the front central portion thereof for receiving a long slender screw and directed at a slant downwardly such that the said single long screw when inserted through said hole is directed through the toe of a conventional toe dancing shoe and into the heavy solid lower lled or thickened part beneath the toe cavity of the shoe without passing through the toe cavity.

7. In combination, a conventional toe dancing shoe and a toe tap afxed thereto, said toe tap comprising a cupped body of metal tted over the toe part of the shoe, and a bottom extension, and means securing the tap to the shoe including a long screw passing through a hole in the front wall of the tap and into the heavy solid lower iilled or thickened part beneath the toe cavity of the shoe, and fasteners driven upwardly from the bottom extension of the tap through the bottom of the shoe.

8. In combination, a conventional toe dancing shoe and a toe tap affixed thereto, said shoe having a short outsole terminating a substantial distance short of the front end of the shoe, said toe tap comprising a cupped body of metal tted over the toe part of the shoe and having a V- shaped bottom extension lying along the bottom of the shoe and only slightly overlapping the outsole of the shoe, and means securing the tap to the shoe including a long screw passing through a hole in the front wall of the tap and into the heavy, solid lower filled or thickened part beneath the toe cavity of the shoe, and fasteners driven upwardly from the bottom extension of the tap through the bottom of the shoe.

9. A unitary metallic toe tap comprising a toe portion and a relatively short bottom extension adapted to lie along the sole of a conventional toe dancing shoe to which the tap is adapted to be secured, said bottom extension being V-shaped with its apex connected to the toe portion and its sides diverging rearwardly, said extension being dimensioned to overlap the forward end ofthe short outsole of a conventional toe dancing shoe, and means to secure the tap to a toe dancing shoe, said means including a hole passing through the front wall of the toe portion of the tap and so lo-' cated that a screw passed therethrough enters the heavy solid lower filled or thickened part beneath the toe cavity of a conventional toe dancing shoe and escapes the toe cavity, and additional holes passing through the aforesaid bottom extension.

10. A toe tap comprising a` cupped body having a front wall and a peripheral wall and being dimensioned to be received over the toe portion of a dancer-s conventional toe dancing shoe, and a bottom extension dimensioned to overlap for a short distance the forward end of the short outsole of the toe dancing shoe, said bottom extension being V-shaped with its apex connected to the cupped body and its sides diverging rearwardly, said bottom extension having a plurality of holes to receive fastening means, the peripheral wall of said cupped body tapering to a thin edge and being indented to make the same adjustable to the toey portion of the shoe.

SALVATORE CAPEZIO. 

